Direction indicator for automobiles



June 17 1924.

G. OPPENLANDER DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed April 12.- 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June, 17, 1924. 1,498,478

G. OPPENLANDER DIREGTION INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed April 12, 19?.1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 1 7, 1924.

UNITED STATES} 1,498,478 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE OPPENLANDER, F PORTLAND, OREGON.

DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR- AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed April 12, 1921. Serial No. 460,664.

a simple and comparatively inexpensive apparatus for indicating by light signals the intention of the driver of the car with reference to turning to the right or left or checking forward movement or stopping, and in that connection to provide an eflicicnt stationary tail light required by the majority of the municipal ordinances in regard to trafiic and a means of clearly displaying the license number on the car; and more particularly to provide an apparatus of this type involving the minimum of expense in construction, installation and maintenance and adapted to be controlled to in dicate the intention of the driver with the least possible effort and without loss of time or requiring the distraction of the attention of the driver from the more important work of controlling his vehlcle; and with these objects in view the invention consists in a construction, combination and relation of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a general view in perspective of the device applied in the operative position to the rear end of a vehicle of the automobile type.

Figure 2 is a face view With the colored lens or panel removed.

Figures 3 and 4 are longitudinal sectional views respectively on the planes indicated by the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Figure 2 and Figure 3 respectivel Figure 5 is a perspective view taken from the rear of the filler or inner casing which is-of compartmental construction to separate the signalling means and showing the sockets for the several lighting units with which the compartments are provided.--

Figure 6 is a front elevation illustrating the switch.

Figure 7 is a plan view illustrating the same with the cover of the switch removed,

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 6.

The apparatus consists essentially of an outer casing 10 having a removable cover 11 carrying a colored, preferably red glass, lens or panel 12 and flanged as at 13 to fit over the ed es of the walls of the casing to which attachment may be made bymeans of screws 14 or the equivalent thereof. Within this outer casing is an inner casing or tiller 15 of which the front wall 16, arranged for example, and as shown, flush with the edges of the walls of the outer casing, forms a plate in which areformed openings respectively representing a stop signal 17, a tail light 18, which may played, and right and left direction indicators such. as the darts 19 and 20. The filler is of compartmental construction embodying a plurality of compartments respectively adapted to contain lighting units 20, each of said compartments, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, having in communication therewith one of the signal openings above referred to as being designated respectively 17, 18 19, and 20, said compart- IHCIltS, respectively being represented at 16 17, 1S, and it) and each having an arcuate rear reflecting wall which is overhung at its points of greatest depth by the front wall of the filler represented by the plate 16, to serve as a shield for the lighting unit arranged in that compartment, to thereby prevent the direct rays of'light from the units penetrating or passing through the opening in the plate 16 to the rear of the vehicle. It is in other words the purpos in the arrangement indicated to provide a diffused or reflected light incident to the curvature of the reflecting surface formed by the wall of the compartment to penetrate the signal opening in the plate 16, and for this reason the direct rays of light from the units are intercepted by the overhanging portions of the plate 16 constituting the wall of each signal compartment. In a suitable position in one of the side walls of each of the compartments there is arranged a socket 521 for the corresponding lighting unit consisting in the construction illustrated of an incandescent light bulb or globe, and connection is made with the socket by electric wire leads 22 adapted to be arranged in circuit with the lighting system of the car or vehibe permanentl discle, and having any suitable source of energy represented by the battery 24, the

several circuits including a four point switch that includes a casing 24' in which is positioned relatively spaced insulating plates 25 and 26 and the plate 25' carries contacts 27 that are connected to the wires 22 and also said plate has pivoted thereto a switch arm 26 adapted to be moved to bridge any one of the contacts to the casing 24' so as to complete the circuit to the respective lamp. A movably mounted support 27' is carried by the plate 26' and engages the switch arm 26. The support is urged in the direction of the plate 25 b spring 28 for normally urging the switc arm into a position to engage the contacts when swung laterally on its pivot in either direction. 'The front wall of the casin' 2A is provided with an openingto permi the switch arm to extend exteriorly of the casing and said opening is partially closed by a plate 29' provided with a series of notches 30 disposed in alinement with the contacts, so that when the switch arm is positioned into a notch, it will engage the contact in alinement with the respective notch. The intermediate notch is adapted to receive the switch arm when in a neutral position. The switch arm on being moved out of the notches is depressed and held in a depressed position by the lower edge of the plate 29'. Characters corresponding to the characters of the signals are applied to the plate 29 to guide the operator when operating the switch arm. The switch may be arranged at any convenient point within reach of theoperator of the car so that it may be shifted from time the intention of the driver, the normal posi- .the casing as indicated in 'lightindg to time to indicate tion of the switch arm bein such as to maintain an exposed tail light t rough the signal opening 18. Moreover, the lower wall of the compartment 17" is preferably cut away or provided with an opening 29 in communication or registration with a corresponding opening 30 in the wall of the outer casing so as to permit of projecting a shaft of light tag 31 suspended below Figure 1. Said opening 30 maybe glazed as indicated to protect the interior of the casing.

Having thus described the invention, what upon the license I claim is A direction indicator for vehicles, the same comprising an exterior casing having an open side, a frame carrying a light penetrable colored panel adapted to close said side, a perforate plate abuttin the edges at the open side of the casing an dis osed between th casing and said panel, t e perforations in said plate representing signal indications, a series of housings carried by said perforated plate on a side remote from the panel and one of said housings disposed to cover each of the signal indications, each of said housings comprising top and bottom walls, an end wall and an arcuate front wall connecting the forward edge of the end wall with a remote portion of the perforated plate, and an independently controllable unit arranged in each of said casings a acent the end walls thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE OPPENLANDER.

Witnesses:

W. R. BEARosLnn, WM. H. WEBER. 

